1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel supply unit for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle and, more particularly, to a fuel supply unit comprising a fuel feed device by which fuel from a fuel tank is fed to the internal combustion engine, a fuel filter, a non-return valve and a fuel feed pressure regulator, in which the fuel filter, the non-return valve and the fuel feed pressure regulator are connected with each other in a fuel feed line.
2. Prior Art
This type of fuel supply unit is described in German Patent Document DE 42 42 242 A1. This fuel supply unit has a fuel feed device arranged in a fuel tank for an internal combustion engine. Other components or parts of the fuel supply unit, which include a fuel filter, a non-return valve and a fuel feed pressure regulator, are arranged in a fuel feed line. These components or parts are connected hydraulically with each other and connected by means of a plastic potshaped supporting member. The pot-shaped supporting member has a comparatively large volume, whereby the fuel supply unit is a comparatively large structure. Thus a comparatively large amount of space, which is then no longer available in the fuel tank, is taken up by the fuel supply unit. The hydraulic connection between the fuel supply unit and the other components and/or the components with each other occurs within the pot-shaped supporting element or by means of separate lines.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fuel supply unit of the above-described kind, which is more compact than the prior art fuel supply unit of the aforesaid type and which thus takes up less room in the fuel tank.
According to the invention the fuel supply unit comprises a fuel feed device arranged in a fuel tank to feed fuel from the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine; components arranged in a fuel feed line between the fuel feed device and the internal combustion engine and comprising a fuel filter, a non-return valve and a pressure regulator and a plastic supporting member for connecting the components with each other. The plastic supporting member is at least approximately plate-shaped and hydraulic connections for connecting the components with each other and with the fuel feed device are formed in the plastic supporting member.
The fuel supply unit according to the invention has the advantage that the connection between the fuel feed device and the other components of the fuel supply unit occurs by a space-saving supporting member, on which the fuel feed device and the other components are connected hydraulically with each other and the other components are also hydraulically connected with each other, so that no separate connecting lines are required.
Various preferred embodiments of the fuel supply unit according to the invention are described in detail hereinbelow.
In a preferred embodiment a covering element is tightly connected with the plastic supporting member so as to form a passage extending between it and the plastic supporting member, which provides one of the hydraulic connections. The covering element comprises a plastic material and is welded or glued with the plastic supporting member.
In another embodiment the plastic supporting member is provided with an outlet connector formed in one piece with the plastic supporting member, which provides another hydraulic connections.
In another preferred embodiment of the fuel supply unit the non-return valve is provided in the outlet connector and comprises a valve seat provided in the outlet connector and a spring-loaded valve element cooperating with the valve seat. The pressure regulator can also be provided in the outlet connector.